Russian shock troops tighten their grip, 15,000 Ukrainian troops are surrounded

(Dan Tri) - At the Kharkov front bordering Donbass, Russia announced that Ukraine is facing difficulties as up to 15,000 Kiev troops are blocked and surrounded.

The Russian army has been gaining momentum in the Kupyansk region in recent times (Illustration photo: Tass).

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that about 15,000 Ukrainian troops were surrounded by Russian troops in two areas on the Kupyansk and Kharkiv fronts. This effort appears to have created a gap in the pocket, putting Ukrainian forces in a difficult position.

"I don't know if our military has reported it yet, but there are two areas in the direction of Kupyansk where Kiev's troops are blocked. One area is practically surrounded. About 10,000 Ukrainian troops are blocked on the banks of a reservoir. In another area near Kupyansk, about 5,000 troops are blocked," Putin said at a plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club on November 7.

"They were surrounded and were trying to create pontoon bridges to evacuate at least some of the troops, but they were attacked by our artillery almost immediately," he added.

“There are also two or three areas where Ukrainian forces are blocked in the Central battle group’s area of ​​operations. There are definitely two areas at the moment, and it is possible that a third area will appear soon,” he said.

"The Ukrainian military is certainly aware of these developments, but the decisions made at the political level are not aimed at benefiting the Ukrainian state, let alone the Ukrainian people," Putin stressed.

Ukraine has not commented on the above information.

The situation in Donbass and Kharkov fronts (Photo: Guardian).

According to the Guardian , since the beginning of October, the situation in Kupyansk has deteriorated significantly for Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian servicemen admit that Russian forces are overwhelming in artillery, military equipment and personnel.

Kupyansk, a key rail junction and logistics hub, fell under Russian control after an offensive in February 2022. Ukrainian forces retook the city in a lightning offensive across the northeast in September of that year.

Russian combat units are now just a few kilometers from Kupyansk. To the south, Russian troops have reached the Oskil River, splitting the Ukrainian-controlled territory on the left bank into two separate and shrinking blocs. Bridges across the river are being bombed repeatedly. The clear Russian plan seems to be to launch a scorched earth assault on Kupyansk and then retake control.

On November 7, pro-Russian official in Kharkov Vitaly Ganchev announced that Moscow forces were gradually moving deeper into the region, continuously taking control of Ukrainian positions.

"As I said earlier, control of Ukraine's logistics routes allows Russian soldiers to keep the initiative on the battlefield for themselves. A few kilometers separates Russian forces from the outskirts of Kupyansk," Mr. Ganchev said.

For the Ukrainian armed forces, Kupyansk and the surrounding villages were an important logistical center for supplying the Kharkiv grouping, while the hills on the right bank of the Oskil River were of defensive importance.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/cac-mui-xung-kich-nga-that-mieng-tui-15000-quan-ukraine-bi-bao-vay-20241108111555186.htm